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NYS Recommends 25 to National Register of Historic Places

The New York State Board for Historic Preservation today recommended the addition of 25 properties and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.

“These nominations reflect the incredible diversity of architectural vision, craftsmanship, innovation and history that are present in buildings and landscapes across New York State,” said Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash. “Listing these landmarks will give them the recognition and support they deserve.”Ash highlighted a number of unique nominations recommended for listing, including:

Congregation Beth Abraham/Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day – a representative example of New York City’s early 20th century synagogue design, which was built in 1928 by first- and second-generation Eastern European Jewish Immigrants in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn.

Bullard Block – the ornate High Victorian five-section commercial block has been the anchor of Schuylerville’s Broad Street since its construction in 1881 and retains a high degree of its original fabric.

Pine Grove Community Church – an 1895 Victorian Gothic non-denominational church in rural Watson, Lewis County that retains a remarkable degree of its original form.

Chenango Canal Prism and Lock 107 – a surviving portion of the canal that opened in 1836 near Chenango Valley State Park – built very close to the specifications of the original Erie Canal – which provides a rare illustration of the first generation of New York State canals.

Midway Park – established as a trolley park in 1894 and transitioning into a “kiddieland” amusement park, what is now Midway State Park in Chautauqua County retains its original picnic grove and lakeside swimming facilities, along with 18 amusement park rides from the mid-20th century.

Listing these properties on the state and national registers can assist their owners in revitalizing the structures. Listing will make them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The New York State Board for Historic Preservation is an independent panel of experts appointed by the governor. The Board also consists of representatives from the following state organizations: Council of Parks; Council on the Arts; Department of Education; Department of State and Department of Environmental Conservation. The function of the Board is to advise and provide recommendations on state and federal preservation programs, including the State and National Registers of Historic Places, to the State Historic Preservation Officer, who in New York is the State Parks Commissioner.

The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are nearly 90,000 historic buildings, structures and sites throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, individually or as components of historic districts.

During the nomination process, the State Board submits recommendations to the State Historic Preservation Officer. The properties may be listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register by the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C. The State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Interior, jointly administer the national register program.

For more information about the New York State Board for Historic Preservation and the State and National Register programs, contact the Historic Preservation Field Services Bureau at (518) 237-8643, or visit the state parks web site at www.nysparks.com.